


Our Hope

by Mar_69



Series: Dickjay week [7]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Baby Damian Wayne, Good Parent Talia al Ghul, Jason Todd is the Red Hooded Ninja (Young Justice), M/M, Past Underage, Young Justice Season 3
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-17
Updated: 2021-02-17
Packaged: 2021-03-12 04:54:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,623
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29504439
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mar_69/pseuds/Mar_69
Summary: When Bryon, Forager, and Halo ran to Infinite Island, Ra's al Ghul challenge Nightwing to a duel, for the freedom of the prisoners, Talia tells Dick a secret she kept from everyone."I don't want a pet name.""Ameli means hope, and you are ours?"
Relationships: Dick Grayson & Damian Wayne, Dick Grayson & Members of the Team (Young Justice), Dick Grayson/Jason Todd, Talia al Ghul & Dick Grayson
Series: Dickjay week [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2151642
Kudos: 59
Collections: DickJay Week 2021





	Our Hope

**Author's Note:**

> Day 7: Young Justice Verse  
> Sorry, I was sick and couldn't post it on time 😪.  
> Hope you like it.

Despite his wickedness, Ra’s al Ghul knew how to treat important prisoners, as he watched Artemis pace on their golden cage, Conner looking angrily at the bars on the windows and door, with beautiful designs in kryptonite in arabesques, keeping Conner weak and angry, the collar around his neck not helping at all, M’gann looked calmer, moving around the library on their room, her hand moving at the collar in time to time, while Dick waited on a chair, knowing the theatrics of the Al Ghuls they were going to talk to them pretty soon.

Artemis glared at the screen on the wall, where the security feed of another cell streamed, Forager, Halo, and Bryon were there, in a less nice cell, with collars around their necks, Bryon yelling and kicking, Forager and Halo just looking at him, almost bored.

Maybe, if Talia was around, Dick would get help to escape, mapping what he knew about Infinity Island, he had a good guess on where the kids were trapped, and how to get there, Talia liked him, despite their bartering, they respected each other, and Talia was helpful most of the times.

"The Demon Head had asked your presence during his dinner."

One of Ra's people was standing at the door, bringing four packages, with maroon paper, tied in golden ribbons, pushed through the bars, Dick pulled Artemis when she walked at the door, hands in fists. "We are honored to be invited."

"They could poison us."

"He wants something from us."

Dick took the packages, reading the labels, a change of clothes for each of them, before going to the bathroom, Artemis glared at him. "Ra's Al Ghul is evil, you don't want to deal with him.

"I know."

Compromised to his aesthetic, all the clothes were white and gold, in long and stylized tunics, like they were made to fit, Dick glared at the splash of colors they had, blue for him, orange for Artemis, red and black for M'gann and Conner, when they were ready, another man walked them to the dining room, big and shiny.

They were cuffed before going out, their ankles and wrists, in delicate chains, easy to break, the cuffs weren't strong, Dick and Artemis knew more than ten ways to get free of them, but antagonizing the Demon's Head wasn't a good idea.

Ra's Al Ghul was at the head of the table, in a chair higher than the rest, Sensei on his left and Talia on the right, ninjas in front of every door and window, and Ubu standing behind his Master.

"What a pleasure, is a loss we hadn't seen each other for a while, two years, I'm pretty sure."

Dick moved to Talia's side, when the woman patted the chair next to her, there was another chair next to him and two on the other side of Sensei, they sat in silence, while the servants moved around, bringing trails and fountains, leaving the food on the center, waiting for Ra's Al Ghul orders.

"How had been the Detective? I've been thinking about him a lot lately."

"Batman is good, a little busy."

"There is no need to use code names here,  _ Richard _ , we had known each other for a long time."

With a sign of Ra's, the servants served the food, steaming, filling the air with a good smell, none of them ate, not until Ra's took the first bite, intense silence, broken by the scratch of the cutlery against the dishes.

M'gann and Conner were holding hands, and Artemis was scratching her inner thigh, her face empty, Talia touched his foot, tapping his ankle with the heel of her sandal.

_ I have a plan. _

Dick didn't give a sign of understanding with his face, tapping back in morse code.  _ How much will it cost me? _

_ Later.  _

When the servants took the plates and brought the dessert, Ra's cleared his throat, smiling at Dick and Artemis, his eyes gleaming in an angry green, almost radioactive, was he going to kill them all?

"I don't like uninvited guests, and I hate when people attack me, taking on account I've never hurt them, your kids were very disrespectful," sighing dramatically, Ra's drank from his glass. "We had known each other for a long time, Richard, and I think we can make a deal, a way to teach respect."

"What is your deal?"

"A duel, you win and one under my care is yours forever, I won't hurt them or try to take them back, you lose and I choose the when and how the next duel will be."

Artemis grabbed his hand, squeezing his fingers, maybe he was capable of winning, but he wasn't that good, not enough, not to defeat Ra's Al Ghul three times in a row.

"To show my goodwill, you and your friends will be free, treated as guests, they can go if they want, but will be treated as prisoners if they come back." A ninja moved, unlocking the cuffs of Dick's ankles and wrists, taking off the handcuffs of his friends. “You can wander freely around the island, but my people will always be around, and, of course, some places would be forbidden, the first duel is yours to decide.”

They ate the dessert, in a dangerous silence, tense and jarring, waiting for Ra’s al Ghul permission to leave, when the Demon Head moved his hand, the servant who brought them here came closer, guiding them back to their room, closing the gates with lock, trapping them in Ra’s al Ghul’s hands.

"We shouldn't make deals with terrorists." Was the first thing Artemis said when they were alone.

"What other option do we have?" Asked Dick. "This is a dead zone, we don't have Oracle or a way to talk to kids."

They didn't have M'gann's powers, to plan something with the mind link, and Ra's al Ghul wasn't dumb enough to leave them unsupervised.

"We need to plan something."

"Lady Talia has requested your presence." Someone talked, opening the door, in a deep and accentless voice, Artemis moved, stopped by a sword pointing to her throat. "Lady Talia only asked for Richard Grayson."

"Don't accept her plans until you talk to us."

Dick walked away, leaving the preoccupied faces of his friends, following the servant down the hall, being pushed inside a room, whit high ceiling, rugs hanging from the walls, in green, white, and golden, Talia was on the bed, big, with silk curtains dangling above, wearing a different dress from the one she used at the dinner, simpler.

"What a pleasure to meet you here."

Someone was laying next to her, in red clothes, the tunic shining over the white sheets, tight pants highlighting their legs, hugging Talia, short and dark hair falling on the pillow, like ink spilling on paper, their face covered in a mask.

She patted the mattress, a clear order to sit next to her, at the edge of the mattress, Dick looked at the way Talia caressed the head of the person at her side, long fingers getting lost in the unruly hair.

"I have a gift for you, Richard, come here." Pushing the person on her arms, she smiled, like she had won the upper hand. "Take off your mask, Jason."

Gasping, Dick looked at the boy he thought he had lost long ago, crawling to his arms, Dick looked at the face he sworn he would never forget, the pink lips, soft to the touch, were the same, the inferior lip bigger, with the little mole on the corner, where Dick enjoyed to bite, despite Jason's complaints, he looked at the nose, a little crooked to the right, his eyebrows were the same, thick at the beginning and fine at the end, his hair was still dark and messy, but a white streak poked from his forehead, the same bright blue eyes looked back to him, framed in dark eyelashes.

"Little Wing," Dick called, shook, holding Jason's face, with most of the baby fat on his jaw gone, leaving a sharp and strong line. He looked at him but there wasn't the spark Jason had, more like a dying fire, absent of its old light. "Explain this Talia."

"I caught him wandering around."

"Why is he here?"

"He isn't the only secret I have."

_ I'm helping you to get out of here, but you have to help me too.* _

"Does the Demon Head let you?"

"I'm my one person Richard."

_ He is listening to us. _ Dick tapped Jason's hip, pulling the boy closer to him, looking at the absent face of Jason, letting Dick drag him without a fight, Talia nodded, brushing the locks of hair outside his forehead.

"How?"

"I don't know, one day I found him, and I took him in."

Jason died in my arms, Dick wanted to yell, I held his corpse, I felt his blood flowing to my arms, he shouldn't be alive.

"Can I take him? Ra's said…"

"Can you win four duels in a row?"

"If I try I can take all of them."

"The Demon Head would try to hurt you, very badly, if he wins, he will schedule the next as soon as possible," her eyes darkened, worrying lines marking on her face, lines she didn't have the last time they saw each other, "Father doesn't have qualms about killing, and you don't have a Lazarus Pit to heal."

"I can escape."

"He thinks it is your fault he lost the Shadows, and humiliating your ability, endangering the lives of a few kids, is his way of getting revenge."

_ He is going to chase all of you if you run. _

Talia tapped in the hand Dick had over Jason's waist, nose buried in Jason's hair, missing the smell of cigarettes and rain, replaced by Jazmin and something like baby powder, but the scent of old books was still there.

"Come with me, Richard."

Talia walked away, followed by Jason, with his arm still wrapped around the boy, Dick followed, felling the still small waist, but the rest felt so different, there were strong muscles in the old slim places, broader thighs and back, and higher height, a couple of inches above Dick, as if the thing that brought him back had erased the years of malnutrition.

Behind a thick curtain, Dick found himself in another room, smaller and darker, a crib was standing next to a wall, a mobile rotating over it, there were toys on the floor, toys for babies, and, surprised, Dick looked at the little boy sleeping in silk blankets.

"Father told me he will kill them if Bruce found out about their existence."

The baby wailed, and Jason pushed Dick to grab the boy, rocking him, humming, ignoring everything around him.

"Damian Wayne al Ghul, my precious secret,  _ Albi _ ."

"I can't fight against Ra's and win five times."

"Ameli, you will." Extending her arms, Talia took Damian, hiding the boy's face on her collarbone. " _ Omri _ , could you bring me Damian's bottle."

_ Father said you could choose the how and when of your match, you know a competition could be a duel. _

"I don't want a pet name."

" _ Ameli _ means hope, and you are ours, do you want to hold Damian?"

Before getting an answer Talia pushed Damian on his arms, looking at the sleepy baby face, almost identical to the photos of baby Bruce they had around the manor, his eyebrows and the shape of his eyes, the color was all Talia, the deep and vibrant green, his lips, nose, and chin was more like Talia's, but the little scowl he was getting was all Bruce.

"Hi, Dami."

The baby looked unimpressed, yawning, trying to go for Talia, rocking him as Jason did.

_ Would he accept my rules? _ Tapping on Talia's wrist, he looked at Damian's face, the short and black hair messy on the top of his head, soft to the touch, the angry eyes he got when he was in Dick's arms, the little hands he used to grab at Dick clothes, he was so little and vulnerable, still fiery at strangers.

A little boy like Damian shouldn't be near someone like Ra's al Ghul.

_ Jason is Damian's protector, they count as one. _

Talia took her baby, feeding him with the bottle.

" _ Omri _ , take Richard back to his bedroom, and come back."

_ You will have five minutes to change the collars. _

"What does that mean?"

" _ Omri _ is my dear,  _ Albi _ is my hearth."

Jason pulled Dick, walking silently on the halls, stopping at the door, kissing him, slowly, soft, like they did when they were alone, in long stakeouts, hiding in their rooms at Wayne Manor or Dick's apartment in Blüdhaven, lost in the kiss, feeling Jason's body, big, strong, warm, alive, he shivered when something cold was shoved on his pants, cylindrical and small.

Jason dragged him to the door, pushing him inside, locking him back with his friends, Artemis still looking like a trapped animal, Conner as far as he could from the kryptonite bars, and M'gann pacing on the library, taking books and putting them back.

_ Now _ the lights flickered, and Dick rushed to M'gann, taking the cylinders off his waistband.

"Dick, what happened, why the lights flashed in morse code?"

"Lex Corp, five years ago."

Batman taught him everything about the collars, how to activate and deactivate, how to program one, from the wireless control and from the collar itself. 

Five years ago, when Wally, M'gann, Artemis, and Dick got trapped in Lex Corp, someone put collars on them, hacking into them, Dick changed M'gann and Wally's collar program, knowing the codes for his friend's powers, it was easy to crack the order and fool the guards.

The cylinders were the tools he needed, and someone wrote the codes in them, Dick worked on M'gann, eliminating the blockers for telepathy, shapeshifting, and telekinesis, changing it for super strength and enhanced senses.

"What happened in Lex Corp?" Asked Conner.

The lights flickered again, a minute had passed, finishing M'gann's collar hacking, Dick moved to Conner's side, while Artemis explained Dick's little trick.

"Where did you get those things?"

_ “I think we can use the mental link.” _

Changing Conner’s collar, he thought about Damian, sleeping in silk sheets, carried in Talia’s arms, letting M’gann share his memories, finishing with Conner when the lights flickered four times, pulling away, Dick fell on top of a divan, tapping his thighs with the cylinders, looking right into the camera.

_ “Are you going to follow Talia al Ghul’s plan? _ ” asked Conner, _ “Isn’t she called the daughter of the Demon.” _

_ “She wants Damian out of here.” _

_ “We can’t leave the kids here, even you can’t win four times in a row.” _

Clicking his tongue, Dick looked at M’gann silent, her eyes wandering outside the window. “ _ The baby shouldn’t stay with Ra’s al Ghul, and Talia al Ghul’s plan is good enough, but we need to plan it carefully.” _

Whit M’gann onboard Conner was easy to convince, pouting at Artemis, Dick knew he almost got her, giving her puppy eyes, he waited until she sighed.  _ “You’re an adult, the eyes will start looking lame. _ ”

“I’m going to sleep,” Dick announced, standing up and moving to one of the rooms, the four doors standing side to side, with decorating patrons in paint and gold, Artemis walked to his side, holding his arm.

“I trust your abilities, and I trust your judgment, you will give it all to save all of them; I don’t trust the al Ghuls, but you do, and if you think working with them will take us out of here, I’m with you.”

“Thanks.”

“We are going to save Halo, Forager, Bryon, Damian… and Jason.”

**Author's Note:**

> I remembered Jefferson was here when I was in the middle of the fic, and I'm too lazy to put him back.


End file.
